Work-holder for automatic sewing-machines.



0. A WHEELER.

, worm HOLDER FOR AUTOMATIC SEWING MACHINES.

r APPLICATION FILED JULY 30.1914" 11 Q 1W9" Patented July 2, 1918.

6 SHEETS$HEET I.

E15. fi

4mg} @MM/Q,

m: nmwls PETERS ca. Pna-mumo WASMINGION, n. c.

0. A WHEELER.

WORK HOLDER FOR A'UTOMATICSEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FiLED IULY 30,1914.

Patented July 2,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ms NORRIS rsrsns 00.. PHOT0 LITHO.. WASKINGlDn. u. L

O. A. WHEELER.

WORK HOLDER FOR AUTOMATIC sewme MACHINES.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 30,1914. 1 Tf ggfi Patented July 2, 1918.

6 SHEETSSHEE[ 3.

m: NORRIS Psrm; ca. Mom-um 0. WASHINGTON" u. c.

O. A. WHEELER.

WORK HOLDER FOR AUTOMATIC SEWING MACHINES.

APPHCATION FILED JULY 30 1914 Q} 2 6 SHEETS-S 5.

E21 1&2

n45 mmms PETERS co, PHOTO-LUNG" wAsnmumn, n. c.

O. A. WHEELER.

WORK HOLDER FOR AUTOMATIC SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30.1914- 1 mmwfim Patented July 2,1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

W 7 &% m/ w I W 5 w a i 1 P V /U 5 OMAR A. WHEELER, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 WHEELER AUTOMATIC MAC HIRE CO 'ACORPORATION OF OREGON.

itiTORIQHOILDZEB. FOR AUTOMATIC FSEVFINGr-MACHINES.

Application filed July 30,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OMAR A. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVork-Holders for Automatic Sewing-li iaehines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in work holders for automatic sewing machines and nirticularly to automatic sewing machines for making cuffs and the like and has for its object to provide in a machine of this character means for clamping and holding the several plies of cloth constituting a culi or other similar article so that the sewing machine may properly sew the edges thereof. In order to give cufls a Well finished appearance when completed it is necessary that they be so made as to hide the seam. This is accomplished by slightly gathering or holding back the outer ply of cloth while sewing the edge so that when the cult is turned the seam will tend to draw under as described hereinafter.

My invention comprehends means for the purpose indicated and it is fully illustrated in the acompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top-plan view of the device attached to and operatively connected with an automatic sewing machine and comprises a loader and a holder.

is a sectional elevation of the loader taken on the line A-A in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top-plan view of the loader in detail.

. Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of the subject matter of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the loader showing the method of operating it.

Fig. 6 shows the grip-shaft in detail end elevation.

Fig. 7 illustrates the grip-shaft in detail side elevation.

Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation of the loader frame turning-racks extended.

Fig. 9 shows the'end of the rack in locked position just before it is extended.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the subject matter of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of the ioader frames turning-gear wlth the rack Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 191%..

Serial no. esaoaa. I i

a partly broken away, and the frames in re ceivlng position.

Fig. 12 IS a view similar to Fig. 11 with the rack removed and the frame shown in loading position.

F ig. 13 shows a front elevation of the collapsible plates for holding material in position in the frame until gripped by the gripping shaft. 7

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of the material holder and clamp as attached to the sewing machine frame which is shown in section to show the cam drive.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the subject matter of Fig. 14-.

Fig. 16 is a detail top plan View of the holder clamps, showing the filler plates removed, indot and dash lines.

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of matter of Fig. 16.

F ig. 18 is an end elevation of the subject matter of Fig. 17 with one of the turning posts and one of the lifting posts removed so as to show the further turning and lifting posts and the turning shaft.

Fig. 19 is a sectional. elevation of the clamp taken on the line BB of Fig. 17.

F 20 illustrates the manner in which the several plies of material are sewed together when held in the clamp.

Fig. 21 shows the finished product of the machine after it has been turned, the upper or finish ply of the article having its seamodge slightly overhanging the seam-edge of the lowe ply so as to hide the seam.

Fig. 22 is detail top plan view of the collapsible filler plates.

Fig. 23 is a front elevation of the filler plates as shown in Fig. 22.

2a shows the filler collapsed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, .1 designates the main frame of the machine which is provided with parallel guide flanges 1 extending inwardly and in the same horizontal plane, and it is mounted upon supporting legs 1".

For the automatic operation of the varions mechanisms so as to properly time the movement of each part. as related to the other parts a series of came 2*, 2 2, and 2 are revolubly mounted in the frame upon,

the subject plates partially a rotatable shaft 3 and are connected with and drive said mechanisms as hereinafter described. The cams'could of course be combined in one drum having a series of cam grooves, or they could be mounted upon separate shafts as desired.

The material loader which feeds the material properly into the holder and is an essential part thereof is shown in Figs. 1 to 13 inclusive, 1 designating the sliding carriage which is reciprocatively mounted upon the guide flanges 1 and provided with a horizontal slide-way 4; bridging the space intervening between the parallelly disposed guide flanges. Two slides 5 and 5 are reciprocatively mounted in the slide-way 41 and are provided with bearings 6 adapted to receive a turning shaft 7 which is fixed in the bearings in a slide 5 as by a pin 8 and is reciprocatively held in the bearings in slide 5. Outward movement of the slides is limited by the members 9 which also serve another purpose as hereinafter described. L-shaped loading frames 10 extend horizontally from and are formed integral with the slides 5 and 5, and are provided along their inner edges with receiving flanges 11 adapted to receive the material to be fed into the holder.

L-shaped loading frames 12 and 12 similar to those just described and having receiving flanges 13 are pivotally mounted upon the shaft 7 by means of bearings 14:. In operation the ply of material is placed upon the receiving flanges of the loadingframe 10 and another upon the receiving flanges of the swinging loading frames 12 and 12 which latter is then rotated upon its axisto the position shown in Fig. 12 so as to hold the two plies of material one above the other in proper position for feeding them to the holder clamps.

To hold the material against the flanges 11 and 13 gripping shafts 15 and 15 respectively are rotatably mounted in the side members of the loading frames as shown, those at each side being coaxially disposed and parallel with those on the opposite side. Each of the gripping shafts are provided with gripping jaws 16 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 which are adapted to be operated on the loading frames so as to be brought into grippmg contact with the material upon the receiving flanges by rotating the said gripping shafts which are also provided with gears 17 and locking lugs 18 at their adjacent ends, the shafts 15 having each one lug and the shafts 15 two lugs so disposed as to be adapted to engage and lock with the adjacent lug. By referring to Figs. 11 and 12 it will be noted that the lugs are locked when the loading frames are in open position and the gears are in mesh when the loading frames are in closed position,

thus causing the gripping shafts of each side to operate simultaneously so that by actuating the shafts 15 the shafts 15 will also rotate.

The swinging loading frames 12 and 12 are connected by means of a pin i7 which is slidably mounted therein in axial alinement with the shaft 7.

The members heretofore designated as 9 are provided with bearings in which shafts 19 carrying each a gear 20 are rcvolubly disposed so that one of said gears 20 is held in mesh with one of the gears 17 on loading frame 10 and the other gear 20 with the other gear 17 on the frame 10, the shafts 19 of the gears 20 being connected by a connecting rod 21 pivotally carried by pins 22 in the ends of the shafts so that the shafts will rotate simultaneously in the opposite direction, thus causing all of the gripping jaws 16 to grip or release simultaneously.

' flue of the shafts 19 is provided with a lever 23 in the end of which a rod 25 is slid-ably and pivotally engaged and horizontally disposed. Two bars 2a2 l are pendantly attached by their ends to the ends of the rod 25, and a rocking bar 26 is pivotally mounted between bearing brackets 27 attached to frame 1 and is provided with two lovers 28 which are pivotally attached to the lower ends of the bars 2424:. This arrangement permits the lever 23 to be operated from any point upon the rod 25 at which it may happen to be. The bar 26 is also provided with a lever 29 by means of which the previously described gripping shafts are actuated. As shown in Fig. 5 the lever 29 is attached by a universal joint 31 to a connecting rod which isnearly vertically disposed, and attached at its lower end by means of a universal joint to a bell crank 32 pivotally atached to the frame (not shown here) at 33 and adapted to engage and be actuated by a cam 2. By referring to Fig. (i it will be noted that by rotating the gear 20 in the direction of the arrow 3 the gear 17 will rotate in the direction of the arrow .2 until the gripping jaw 16 engages and grips the material designated as 34;. Any further rotation of the gear 20 in the direction of the arrow will then force the slides 5 and. 5' upon which the gears 17 are mounted to travel outwardly and away from each other as in the direction of the arrow at" thus stretching the material 3% between the gripping jaws 16 as is desirable. A spring 35 mounted upon the shaft 7 between the inner bearings 6 tends to aid in stretching the material as just described. Referring to Figs. 11 and 12 a gear segment will be noted at 36 attached to one of the loader-frames 1'2 and disposed coaxially with the shaft 7 so as to be rotatable about the same axis. A rectangular frame 37 is attached. to the cam as at 2*.

frame 1 below the gear segment 36 and is provided with a l slot 38 adapted to slidably hold. a rack 39 therein so as to mesh with the gear-segment 86. Rearward movement of the rack 39 is limited by means of a limit pin i mounted in the end of the slot 38 and the rack may be locked against forward movement by means of a lock-pin ll slidably carried in bearings 42 attached to the frame 37. The look-pin is yieldingly held in locked position by means of a spring 43 which surrounds the lock-pin between its bearings, a cross-pin ll acting against the spring and also limiting the upward movement of the lock-pin.

The rack 39 is provided with a groove d extending along the under side ofthe rack to about two thirds of the way back so that by slightly depressing the lock-pin it will permit the rack to slide forward, the lockpin entering the groove as shown in Fig. 8 and limiting the forward movement of the rack when in the position insaid view. The segmental gear 36 is provided with a radial projection 46 adapted to engage and release the lock-pin .421 as shown in Fig. 9 in which view the projection 46 shown in position just prior to engagement with the lock-pin, the gear traveling in the direction of the arrowin Fig. '9 the gear 36 and its attendant mechanism will rotate'so as to turn theloadnag-frames to the position shown in Fig. 12 at which point the projection 4-6 will release the lock-pin and permit the rack to travel with the gear to the limit of its horizontal movement.

The movements of the carriage 41: are controlled and properly timed by means or a Figs. t and 5 with which the carriage 4L is operatively connected by means of a connecting rod 48 which is attached at one end to a. cam block 50' which is slidab'ly mounted in a guide bracket 51 secured to the machine frame 1 so that a pin 52 with which the block provided is adapted to engage the cam 52%.

To hold the material. in place within the loading-frames 1O, 12 and 19. holding plates are provided at 53 and '58, the plate being attached to the carriage by brackets 54: as shown in Fig. 2, and disposed in the same horizontal plane with the supporting por tions of the'fianges 13 and with its edges in close juxtaposition thereto.

An inverted U-shaped bracket 55 isinounted upon the frame 1 and-carries slide'rods 56 which are bent downwardly and inwardly at their median points so as to provide inclined sl ideways for two brackets 57 which carry each a material holding plate so disposed that one overlaps-the other as shown in Figs. 3 and 13.

The brackets 57 are each provided with a slide bearing 57 in which a rod 57 is slidably mounted so as to maintain the plates 58 in the upright position and in alinei'nent with each other. The rod 57 is provided with pins to maintain it within its bearings.

Said brackets 57-57, are slidab'ly conof-pivotally attached bars 61.

As will be seen by referring to Fig. 5 the forward travel of the carriage -ilwill cause it to carry the plates 58 along with it until said plates have dropped low enough to permit the edge a to pass over them. Further movement of the plates is then prevented by means of limit pins 62 which engage and arrest the movement of the cross bar 59.

After the carriage has traveled to its forward limit and returned to the point at which the movement of plates 58 was arrested the side members of the carriage 4C will engage the cross bar 59 and thus return the plates 58 to their proper position on a level with the upper surface oi the flanges 11 and in close juxtaposition thereto.

The ll-shaped bracket 55 is provided at its median point with an upcast linger (33 adapted to engage the end of a horizontally disposed rod 64 slidably mounted within the frame of the slideway 42 and carrving a wedge member (55 which is disposed betwoc the slides 5 and 5' so asl'o lie within beveled recesses 66 provided in said slides as saown in 25. A sprin 57 surrmlnds the pro jecting end of the rod (i i and by means of its abutmentagai' at a pin it carried by red near its end the said rod and wedge are so actuated as to nevent the slides from being brought together until the. end of the rod G l: 'n'operly engages the finger 53. The object of this is to prevent return of the loading frames to their closed position until" after the material has been. removed as any tendency of the frames to close upon release of the gripping jaws 16 will be detrimental to the proper centering of the material within the clamps as hereinafter described.

fhe material holding clamps and operating mechanism are carried by an overhanging frame 70 and its base 71 which is rigidly mounted upon frame 1 as shown in Figs. 1.,

14 and 15. The overhanging frame 70 is provided with vertically disposed tubes 72 within which upwardly projecting posts 73 attached to a horizontal clamp frame 74: are

l. U i) ill) reciprocatively held by means of lifting rods 75 having enlarged upper ends bearing slidably within the upper ends of the tubes and projecting through and to a point slightly above the overhanging frame 7 0, the rods 7 5 'being threadedly attached to posts 73 as shown in Fig. 1.9.

A'shaft 76 is rotatably held within bearings 77 carried by the frame and is horizontally disposed above the axis of the tubes 72 and connected by means of a toggle joint 78 with the upper ends of lifting rods so as to provide means for lifting said rods when desired. A lever 7 9 is attached at one end of the shaft 76 and pivotally carries a depending connecting rod 80 whose lower end is pivotally attached to a lever 81 rigidly mounted on a shaft 82 rotatably carried in bearings attached to the base 71.

The shaft 82 is also provided with a lever 83 disposed opposite the lever 81 and pivotally carrying a connecting rod 8 1 whose lower end is pivotally attached to a lever 85 mounted on a horizontal shaft 86 which is revolubly carried in a bearing bracket 87 depending from the base 71. The shaft 86 passes through a bearing 88 in the frame 1 and at its inner end carries a depending lever 89 having a projecting pin 90 adapted to engage a cam 2 by means of which the mechanism just described is operated in proper relation to the movement of the rest of the mechanisms.

A rectangular clamp member 91 having a depending flange 92 along three of its edges is attached to and beneath the clamp base 7 1. An inner plate 93' of about half the thickness of the depth of flange 92 is held within said flange and beneath the clamp member 91 by means of screws 94 which are threadedly held by the plate and pass op" eratively through the bottoms of posts 73 which are provided with enlarged orifices adapted to receive the heads of said screws and springs 95. The springs 95 are made long enough to abut against the bottoms of the lifting-rods 75 and the heads of the screws 94 so as to resiliently depress the plate 93 which when in its downmost position will have its lower surface flush with the lower edge of the flange 92.

Two pins 96 are held, one at each end of the clamp base 74 by means of screws 97 and are provided with heads 98.

Tubular posts 99 having arms 100 pro jecting at right angles therefrom are slidably and revolubly mounted one upon each of said pins 96 and are yieldingly held in a downward position by means of-springs 101. The arms 100 are provided with tubular posts 102 attached at their outer ends and extending vertically thereabove and adapted to revolubly carry headed pins 103 to which at their lower ends are attached horizontally disposed arms 10 1 having downwardly bent ends 105 carrying each a skeleton plate 106 conforming in outline with the ends of plate 93 and adapted to be placed below and against it, or swung out into the position indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 16. The arms 100 are also provided with eX- tensions 107 which are connected by means of a connecting rod 108 having its ends pivotally attached to said extensions at 109 and 110 so as to cause the arms 100 to swing inwardly toward one another as shown in dot and dash lines. A shaft 111 is slidably carried within bearings 112 attached to the plates 106 so as to force the plates 106 to travel parallel with and toward each other thus causing them to move away from the inner sides of flange 92 from the sides as well as the front when being swung out oi operative position. Two guide bars 113 having flanges 114: are attached to the clamp base 74 in a. horizontal position and parallel to each other so as to form guides for an L- shaped bar 115 which is provided with an orifieed hub 116 adapting it to be mounted upon the shaft 111 to which it is fixed by means of a pin 117. The hub 116 carries a T-shaped plate 118 having beveled ends at 119 adapted to engage beveled edges of side extensions 121 provided on the plates 106 when in extended position, the plate 118 conforming in thickness and outline with the plates 106. A spring is attached to the guide bars 113 so as to drop between them and resiliently engage the bar 115 to hold it down as in the position shown in Figs. 22 and 23. It is obvious that when the plates 106 are being collapsed into the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 16 the plate 118 will assume the position shown in Fig. 2 1-. In order to raise the plates 106 and 118 automatically as they swing out into collapsed position so as to be out of the way for further operations inclined raising cams are provided at 122 and so positioned as to engage and raise the arms 100 against their springs 101.

A turning shaft 123 having an enlarged tubular head 121 at its lower end is vertically disposed above and slidably engages one of the posts 99 and is provided with a slot 125 which engages a pin 126 in the said post. The shaft 123 is revolubly held in a bearing 127 in the overhanging frame 70 and is provided above the bearing with a lever 128. A vertically disposed shaft 129 is rotatively held in bearings 1.30 carried by frame 70 and is provided with levers 131 and 132 at its upper and lower ends respectively the lever 131 being connected with the lever 128 by a pivotally attached connecting rod 133.

The lever 132 is connected by a universal joint 134 with a lever 135 which is mounted upon a horizontally disposed shaft 136 which in turn is revolubly mounted in a bearing 137 in the frame 1 and carries a depending cam lever 138.

The cam lever 138 is provided with a pin 90which o-peratively engages the cam 2 for the purpose of operating its attached mechanism.

A plate 139 of the same shape and size as the plate 91 is disposed beneath said plate 91 and is supported by a base plate 14-0 having depending legs 1411 provided with flanges 141.2:which are slidably mounted in slide bearings 1 13 attached to the base 71. so as to permit the plate to be raised or lowered. The beforementioned shaft 82 passes through bearings 143, Fig. 1d, and is provided with levers 14145 which are connected by means of pivotally attached links-1 1G tolugs 1 15 provided uponthe lower ends of legs 141 so that rotation of the shalt 82 will raise and lower the plate 139 as desired.

The raising and lowering 111echa1iismfor the plates 91 and 139 are so designed as to cause the one to lower as the other rises or vice-versa thus actuating them in the man nor of a clamp.

. Atl l? is shown the sewing machine base upon wl i'ich the automatic sewing machine describedin my patent application lilo. 719,656 is mounted so as to travel along the edge of the plate 93 and sew the material 3-1 along the line 148 as shown in Fig. 16.

In operation a ply of material as for instance a cull blank is first placed upon the plate- 53 and another upon the plates 58, the carriage being at its rearmost or starting point of travel as shown'in Figs. 3, 4t, 5 and 11 with the gripping jaws 16 open and the slides 5 and 5' drawn together. It will be understood of course that the cams are in constant rotation with the grooves laid out so as to allow a period of rest for placing the material in position. The cam 2* will now actuate the gripping mechanism so as to cause the jaws 16 to grasp the ends of the blanks and the cam 2 will then start the carriage 4 traveling forward thus causing the gear segment 36in conjunction with the locked rack-39 to rotate the loading frames 12-12 to the position shown in Fig. 12 carrying with it a blank which I will desige nate as 34- so as to place it just above the other blank held by the loading frames 10 and designated as 34-. The forward movement of the carriage will at the same time cause the plates 58 to assume the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 6 at which point it will remain until return of the carriage which new continues on its way to the end of its forward travel causing the projection 46 to disengage the locking-pin and. thus allowing therack 39 to slide torward to: the position shown in 8 at ing plates which are now brought together as shown in Fig. 19 by means of cam 2 thus crimping the edge of the blank 34 so that whenit is sewed along the edge as at 148 it will cause the material of blank 84- to bulge as shown in Fig. 20 and consequently cause the edge of the upper or finish side oi the completed article to overhang and hide the seam after it has been turned in as shown in Fig; 21. After being clamped in position as shown in Fig. 19 the jaws 16 will be released and the carriage 41 will return to its starting position carrying with it the plates 58' and forcing the wedge 65 out so as to allow the slides 5 and 5 to resume their normal position through the opening action of the lever 23* which will cause an action opposite to that described relative to Fig. (i. The sewing machine will now be placed in action so as to sew the article along its edge as described and the clamps then opened and the plates 106 collapsed and raised out of the way thus permitting the sewed article to be removed either by hand or by machinery as desired.

It is obvious that several plys of material may be used at or at 34? if desired.

What I claim as new and desire to pro tect by Letters Patent is 1. A material loading and holding mecha nism for automatic sewing. machines (20hr prising a frame, a carriage reciprocatively mounted thereon, clamps adapted to open and close and carried by said frame, material liolders mounted upon said carriage, means for actuating the carriage so as to place the material blanks between the clamps and means for actuating the clamps so as to grasp and hold the material in position to be sewed.

2. A material loading and holding. mechanism for automatic ing machines comn'ising a frame, a carriage reci lrocatively moi'lnted thereon, clamps adapted. to open" and close and carried by said fran'ie, material holders inoi'lnted upon said carriage, means for actuating the carriage so as to place the material blanks between the clamps, means carried by the clamps adapted to crin'ipth-e edge of one oi": the blanks and means for actuating the clamps so to p and hold the material iii-position to .be stneda- 3. A material loading and holding mechanism for automatic sewing machines comprising a frame, a carriage reciprocatively mounted thereon, clamps adapted to open and close and carried by said frame, material holders mounted upon said carriage, means for actuating the carriage so as to place the material blanks between the clamps, means carried between the clamps adapted to crimp the edge of one of the blanks and means for actuating the clamps so as to grasp and hold the material in position to be sewed.

4. A material loading and holding mechanism for automatic sewing machines comprising a frame, a carriage reciprocatively mounted thereon, clamps adapted to open and close and carried by said frame, material holders mounted upon said carriage, means for actuating the carriage so as to place the material blanks between the clamps, means carried by the clamps adapted to crimp the edge of one of the blanks, means carried by the clamps for actuating the crimping means and means for actuating the clamps so as to grasp and holdthe material in position to be sewed.

5. A material loading and holding mechanism for automatic sewing machines comprising a frame, a carriage reciprocatively mounted thereon, clamps adapted to open and close and carried by said frame, material holders mounted upon said carriage, means for actuating the carriage so as to place the material blanks between the clamps, means carried between the clamps adapted to crimp the edge of one of the blanks, means carried by the clamps for actuating the crimping means and means for actuating the clamps so as to grasp and hold the material in position to be sewed.

6. In a machine of the character referred to, two clamping members adapted to be brought together facewise and to engage each other around the outer edges of their faces, whereby to clamp material blanks therebetween with their edges projecting outwardly therefrom, and a plate member interposed between said clamping members mside the meeting edges thereof, one of said clamping members being adapted to have said plate member and the middle portion of a material blank pressed fiatwise thereinto as said clamping members are closed together, and means for mechanically supporting and operating said members auto matically for the purpose described.-

7. In a machine of thecharacter referred to, two clamping members adapted to be brought together facewise, one of said clamping members being provided around the outer edge of its face with a clamping surface adapted to engage the face of the other clamping member when said clamp- 1,27o,eec

ing members arebrought together, and a filler plate adapted to be interposed between said clamping members, said filler plate being adapted to occupy a position within the border of the clamping edges of said clamping members, and means for mechanically supporting and operating said members automatically substantially as described.

8. In amachine of the character described, a clamping frame having three sides open, a removable plate adapted to lit within said frame, a second similar clamping frame adapted to be engaged by said first clamping frame, whereby to clamp therebetween material blanks so as to leave their edges exposed in sewing position, said removable plate being adapted to press the middle portion of a material blank into the space in side of said clamping member, whereby to give fullness to said material blank, and means for mechanically supporting and operating said clamping frames and said re movable plate automatically.

9. In a machine of the character referred to, two clamping members adapted to be moved together facewise into clamping engagement, one of said members having a yieldable middle face portion adapted to be depressed, a filler plate adapted to be moved into and out of a position between said clamping members, said filler plate being adapted to depress the middle face portion of said clamping member as said clamping members are closed together with said. tiller plate therebetween, means foroperating said filler plate, and means for operating said clamping members, said clamping members being adapted to engage each other at their outer meeting edges for clamping therebetween material blanks of the character referred to, so as to leave their edges exposed for sewing.

10. In a machine of the character referred to, two clamping members adapted to clamp material blanks therebetween with their edges projecting therefrom, one of said clamping members having a yieldable middle face portion, and a filler member adapted to be interposed between said clamping members, whereby to depress the y eldable middle face portion of said clamping member and to press the middle portion of a material blank into said clamping member to give fullness thereto, for the purpose described.

11. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a pair of clamping members mounted thereupon and adapted to clamp therebetween material blanks with their edges projecting therefrom, means for operating said clam p ing members, a carriage mounted upon said frame, means for moving the same toward and from said clamping members, means mounted upon said carriage for receiving, holding and transferring sail material blanks to said clamping members, and means for operating the same and said car riage in timed relationship with the operation of said clamping members.

12. In a machine of the character referred to, in combination, a supporting frame, a pair of clamping members adapted to be moved facewise toward and from each other to clamp therebetween material blanks with their edges projecting therefrom in position who sewed, means cooperating with said clamping members for giving fullness to the middle portion of one of said material blanks as it is clamped between said clamping members, a carriage mounted to travel on said frame, holding members upon said carriage, adapted to receive material blanks, and operatingmechanism for operating said holding members, said carriage and said clamping members in timed relationship, whereby said material blanks are trans ferred from said holding members to said clamping members in position to be sewed.

13. In a machine of the character referred to, in combination, a supporting frame, or body, a pair of clamping members mounted thereupon, one above the other, and adapted to be moved together facewise into clamping engagement, a filler member adapted to be moved between said clamping members as said clamping members are moved together, a carriage mounted to travel on said frame, holding members upon said carriage, adapted to receive material blanks, and operating mechanism for operating said holding memhere, said carriage and said clamping members in timed relationship, whereby said material blanks are transferred from said holding members to said clamping members in position to be sewed. p

14. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting body, a carriage mounted to travel thereon, a pair of holding members mounted upon said carriage, adapted to receive and hold material blanks, said h olding m embers being hingedly mounted and adapted to be folded together, one above the other, a pair of clamping members mounted upon said body and adapted'to be moved together, said clamping members being adapted to engage each other around their meeting face so s, a filler member adapted to be moved into andjout of a position. between said clamping mem-.

bers and" within the borders of said meeting edges, and revolving cam members with opera-ting connections herefrom to said car sail-d holding members, said filler men her and said clamping members, whereby to operate the same in timed. relationship, for

the purpose referred to. v

15. In a machine of the character referred portion, a filler nlate to, in combination, a body, a carr'age frame slidably mounted thereupon, a pair of holding members pivotally mounted upon said carriage and adapted to be folded together, one above the other, said holding members being provided with clamping fingers adapted to receive and hold material blanks in flat condition, a pair of clamping members adapted to be moved facewise together in clamping position, one of said clamping members having a yielding middle face portion, a filler plate adapted to be moved into and out of a position between said clamping members, said filler member being adapted todepress said yielding middle face portion of said clamping member as said clamp ing members are moved together, and revolving cam members with operating connections therefrom for operating in timed relationship said carriage, said holding members and their clamping fingers, said filler member and said clamping members,

whereby to transfer material blanks from said holding members into said clamping members with their outer edges exposed to be sewed, substantially as described.

16. In a machine of the character de scribed, in combination, a body, a carriage n'iounted to be moved thereon in opposite directions, a pair of holding members mounted thereon and adaptedto be turned one upon the other, said holding members being provided at their opposite ends with holding means adapted to receive and hold material blanks, means for moving said carriage, and operating mechanical connections for automatically closing said holding means and for turning said holding members, one upon the other, as said carriage is moved in one direction, and for returning them to their open positions as said carriage is moved in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

17. In a machine of the character referred to, in combination, a body, a carriage mounted. to move in opposite directions thereupon, a pair of holding members hingedly secured together in horizontal positions upon said carriage'and adapted to be folded one upon the other, said holding members being provided with holding means adapted to grip the opposite ends of material blai l placed therein, a pair of'clamping members mounted one above the other and adaptedv to be moved together facewise in clamping engagement with each other, one of a-id ciamp- 7 ing members having a yielding iddle face adapted to be automatically moved L to and out of a position between said ciainping members, operating cams revolubly mounted in said bodv. n'ioan's for driving the same and operating connections from said cams for automatically moving said carriage in opposite directions, and.

for causing the automatic operation of said holding members, filler plate and clamping members, substantially as described.

18. In a device of the character described, a frame, upper and lower clamp members reciprocatively carried by said frame, collapsible crimping plates carried by said clamps and adapted to be inserted and eX- tended between them, means for actuating the clamps and crimping plates, a carriage reciprocatively mounted upon the frame, slidably mounted loading frames carried by the carriage, loading frames pivotally mounted upon the first mentioned loading frames, gripping jaws revolubly mounted in the ends of the loading frames for gripping material therein, means for actuating the gripping jaws, means for swinging the pivotally mounted loading frame over and onto the first mentioned loading frame and means for reciprocatively actuating the carriage so as to carry the material to and between the clamps.

1-9. In a device of the character described, a frame, upper and lower clamp members reciprocatively carried by said frame, collapsible crimping plates carried by said clamps and adapted to be inserted and eX- tended between them, means for actuating the clamps and crimping plates, a carriage reciprocatively mounted upon the frame, slidably mounted loading frames carried by the carriage, loading frames pivotally mounted upon the first mentioned loading frames, gripping jaws revolubly mounted in the ends of the loading frames for gripping material therein, means for actuating the gripping jaws, means actuated by the reciprocation of the carriage for swinging the pivotally mounted loading frame over and onto the first mentioned loading frame and means for reciprocatively actuating the carriage so as to carry the material to and between the clamps.

20. In a device of the character described, a frame, upper and lower clamp members reciprocatively carried by said frame, collapsible crimping plates carried by said clamps and adapted to be inserted and extended between them, means for actuating the clamps and crimping plates, a carriage reciprocatively mounted upon the frame, slidably mounted loading frames carried by the carriage, loading frames pivotally mounted upon the first mentioned loading frames, gripping jaws revolubly mounted in the ends of the loading frames for gripping material therein, mea is for actuating the gripping jaws, a gear carried by the pivotally mounted loading frame coaxial with its pivotal center, a rack carried by the main frame and adapted to engage said gear for swinging the pivotally mounted loading frame over and onto the first mentioned loading frame and means for reciprocatirely actuating the :arriage so as to carry the material to and between the clamps.

21. In a device of the character described. a frame, upper and lower clamp members reciprocatively carried by said frame, collapsible crimping plates carried by said clamps and adapted to be inserted and extended between them, means for actuating the clamps and crimping plates, a carriage reciprocatively mounted upon the frame, slidably mounted loading frames carried by the carriage loading frames pirotally mounted upon the first mentioned loading frames, gripping jaws revolubly mounted in the ends of the loading frames for gripping materia therein, means for actuating the gripping jaws, a gear carried by the pivotally mounted loading frame coaxial with its pivotal center, a slidably mounted rack carried by the main frame and adapted to engage said gear for swinging the pivotally mounted loading frame over and onto the first mentioned loading frame, a locking pin adapted to engage and hold the rack until the swinging loading frame has rotated to position over the other loading frame, a disengaging finger carried by the gear for releasing the lock-pin after the swinging loading frame has rotated to position over the other loading frame so as to permit the rack to travel with the carriage and 11153118 for reciprocatively actuating the carriage so as to carry the material to and between the clamps.

22. In a device of the character described, a frame, upper and lower clamp members reciprocatively carried by said frame collapsible crimping plates carried by said clamps and adapted to be inserted and extended between them, means for actuating the clamps and crimping plates, a carriage reciprocatively mounted upon the frame, slidably mounted loading frames carried by the carriage, loading frames pivotally mounted upon the first mentioned loading frames for gripping material therein, means for actuating the gripping jaws, a gear carried by the pivotally mounted loading frame coaxial with its pivotal center, a slidably mounted rack carried by the main frame and adapted to engage said gear for swinging the pivotally mounted loading frame over and onto the first mentioned loading frame, a locking pin adapted to engage and hold the rack 'until the swinging loading frame has rotated to position over the other loading frame, a disengaging finger carried by the gear for releasing the lock-pin after the swinging loading frame has rotated to position over the other loading frame so as to permit the rack to travel with the carriage, plates for holding material in position to be grasped by the first mentioned loading frame and adapted to collapse and lower away from said last mentioned loading In testimony whereof I affix my signafranie, means actuated by the reclprocatlon ture in the presence of two Witnesses. of the carriage for collapslng and lowering or raising and assembling said plates and OMAR WHEELER means for reciprocatively actuating the car- Witnesses:

riage so as to carry the material to and be- F. H. DRAKE,

tween the clamps. G. BAILEY.

Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0, 

